New mural brightens West End streetscape

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This article was published 08/07/2019 (2450 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A new piece of public art is adding another bright splash of colour to the West End.

On July 3, the West End BIZ unveiled its eye-catching Cue the Beat! mural at 551 Sargent Ave.
Executive director Gloria Cardwell-Hoeppner explained that this mural is a little different than most since it’s not painted on the side of a building.

“We did something a little more creative. We took an old fence and built a wall on it,” she said.
“Otherwise, it was just a blank parking lot. We wanted to add some colour and interest to it.”

The Infantino family at X-Cues donated and sponsored the space for the mural. Other project sponsors include Take Pride Winnipeg! and Dulux Paint.

University student artists Antoinette Baquiran and Rachel Goossen designed and painted the mural as part of the West End BIZ’s mural mentorship program.

“Through this program, we take university art students and give them an opportunity to hone their skills by creating public art,” Cardwell-Hoeppner said. “Often, they’ll be working with youth in the community. Since we started this project before kids were out of school, we didn’t have any youth that participated, so they just practised their skills on their own this time. But the rest of their projects for the summer will be incorporating youth from different schools to help them.”

So far, the mural mentorship has proven to be a win-win endeavour for all involved.

“It’s good for the mentors because it helps them get career-related experience and exposure,” Cardwell-Hoeppner said.“And it’s good for the kids that are participating because it inspires an interest in public art. It shows them that you can have pride in your community and learn about different art styles — especially if they’re working on a mural wall.”

Cue the Beat! mural was created in a ’60s pop art style, which features geometric and abstract shapes along with minimalist forms.  

“It’s one of my favourite styles. It highlights the colour and creativity of that era,” Cardwell-Hoeppner said. “It also pays homage to the fact that it’s their 50th anniversary at X-Cues.”

The mural depicts images of the café, formerly known as Enzo’s, which was a gathering place for Winnipeg’s newcomer community. The design also includes musical instruments from around the world, including Ethiopia, the Philippines, Iceland, Italy and Syria.

In total, the West End is home to more than 100 murals, with about 60 on active display for the West End BIZ’s popular mural tours.

“We like having murals in the area. They really add something to the beauty of the street and often spark conversation. We’re always looking for something to beautify in the area,” Cardwell-Hoeppner said. “When you look at this particular mural, you see how colourful it is and you can pick up the musical elements in it. Hopefully it will spark some interest in the rest of the projects that are lined up.”

In addition to creating a second mural, Baquiran and Goossen will be working on an initiative called Shutter Art, which will transform business windows into artistic creations. They’ll also pursue several art projects focused on signal boxes, which will be unveiled in late August.